


Legends Never Die

by Letmeringabell



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types
Genre: AY YO MA LEMME GET CHO NUMBAH, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Lady-killer in love, Prickly banter, Slow Burn, Unresolved Sexual Tension, m'lady
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-10-30 02:02:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20806688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Letmeringabell/pseuds/Letmeringabell
Summary: Outworld has always come with their own challenges; The searing heat, the overwhelming sandstorms and over-aggressive characters. But Kotal is optimistic, he calls and welcomes the Special Forces to the Palace Grounds. So, what's a 150 year old hire gunmen to do but flirt with the field medic on-duty?





	1. First glances, first impressions

**Author's Note:**

> Lately, I’ve been consuming a lot of Mortal Kombat content (Especially Erron Black and Kabal ones). So I thought that I should contribute in some way to the fandom, because you just gotta be the change you see in the world sometimes.
> 
> This fic is an AU-inspired fic, where Kotal is still the Kahn and Kronika hasn't come in to interrupt the timelines.  
My OC’s name in this, is Vanessa. Basically, this is an Erron x F!OC fic, where the OC is a field medic, and Kotal wants to have friendly relations with Earthrealm by calling Special Forces for a field trip. 
> 
> I’m sorry for a slow first chapter, but sometimes you gotta lay down the framework, the same way you lay down a table mat before you eat to avoid making a mess. God, I’m so hungry.
> 
> My fic can also be read on tumblr at letmeringabell@tumblr.com
> 
> Do tell me if I'm writing too much, or too little. If you have any headcanons or things you want to see, just write and I'll see how I can fit it in the story somehow because I haven't set anything in stone just yet. But anyway, enjoy and please do tell me what you think! Thank you for reading <3 <3 <3

“And thus, Kotal Kahn has agreed to receive Special Forces’ Entourage as a sign of trust and cooperation between Outworld and Earthrealm.”  
She hears General Blade’s voice boom throughout the hall, the entire fleet pays close attention to their leading officer-in command.

“This delegation will be led by Commander Cage. I, myself and Johnny will stay behind to watch over things here, just to make sure Earthrealm is kept in check. Take this as an opportunity to further sharpen your skills and reflexes. Don’t ever let your guard down, you never know what danger finds you in Outworld.”

There is no sugar-coating with General Blade, but it is apt for the situation.

General Blade continues on with her announcements; The time and place for the Entourage to assemble, the necessary and optional squadrons needed, and a briefing in Outworld Etiquette and Propriety later in the evening. The General ends the meeting, and dismisses everyone early to allow for preparation and packing. Every soldier needs to be fully ready; Their physical fitness at their peak, and iron-clad mental fortitude to persevere through the unknown days ahead.  
Despite the warnings and precautions, the allure of danger and mysticality still has everyone whispering excitedly, or worriedly. She can’t tell at this point, because all sorts of whispers seem to drown out any distinction between the two.

What would they be doing there? What would they see in Outworld? What does Kotal Kahn want with Special Forces? Is Outworld coffee stronger than Earthrealm? Better yet, does Outworld actually have coffee?

She doesn’t stay long for the excitement nor dread that has everyone rapt in their conversation. She sees Jacqui and Cassie in the distance, and calls out to them eagerly. There are more pressing and urgent matters on hand, and she has a tendency to procrastinate.

* * *

  
  
“And here I thought packing my stuff would take the longest,” Cassie grumbles as she hoists another box to the corner of the room.

Jacqui is busy going through her extensive vault of books; Any journal, document, or research paper that would be useful goes in the box while others, would collect dust on the large shelf during their 6-month stay in Outworld. Jacqui is impressed by the sheer volume of reading material in the office, but silently hopes that this is the last of it. The whole sifting and sorting process is wearing her spirits down, and she feels the impending migraine pulsing at the back of her head.

“Don’t worry gals, I have come bearing gifts,” She comes in with a tray of hot coffee in hand, and immediately, the girls lighten up.

“God, I needed a break from all these books!”

“And I need a break from all this heavy lifting. We’ve gotta KonMari your office when we get back, Van,” Cassie says, taking the offered coffee with a tired hand and a soft thank you.

“We’re almost done, actually. All that’s left is the books, and after that, we can start moving my stuff onto the trolleys.”

“Thank God! If I have to sit through another ‘Cardio’, ‘Surgery’ and ‘Benign’, I’ll go nuts and throw the books through the roof. Why do you need so much books anyway? Most of the information is in the Special Forces Database.”

She shrugs carelessly, “Some of them are very old tomes and medical journals that are not online, and I prefer having paperback anyway. Makes jotting and scribbling little notes easier.”

“What ever you say, Doc,” Cassie holds her hands up in defeat, “Just make sure you pack for all sun and no rain, because Outworld is hot as hell.”

“No kidding. I almost got a heat stroke, and Outworld’s bedside manners aren’t exactly… up to par,” Jacqui’s grimace at the recollection is evidence enough that Outworld weather is not to be trifled with. Although, it does sound like the perfect weather to have ice cream and brownies, and every other dessert on the chilled spectrum.

Her glance moves beyond the window, into the outside world, and finally, her gaze settles at the sunset sky – The splashes of purple, pink and orange washes the sky in vivid technicolor, and it leaves her feeling some kind of way; Like she would never come to see the sunset sky the same way ever again. It is somewhat unsettling, yet, she doesn’t feel her skin prickle at the thought. Maybe it’s just her nerves or paranoia flaring up.

All of them finish packing her things up, and unloaded the boxes onto the designated trolleys. At least, she’s packed her stuff early and if she ever needed to pack more, she could just add to the load.

Cassie is the first to initiate the conversation, “So, Jacqui, Van, where do you wanna eat? We’ve got 2 whole days before we make a move, so we might as well start satisfying every craving known to man now.”

“Should we make a head start on sushi, then?” Nothing could’ve been any better.

* * *

  
  
Outworld is every bit as hot and dry as Jacqui and Cassie had described it to be, and she is thankful for their advice; Her medical outfit is light and loose, allowing for easier movement and a reprieve from the searing heat. She wonders whether everyone else is suffering in the heat, and if they’re cursing their decision to come to Outworld—Whether the allure of ‘I’ve been to Outworld and survived its hell’ had been worth the attraction in the first place.

Although, it is not her place to doubt the Special Forces. All of them had been trained for extreme climates and situation, and this delegation is no different. Cassie is front and center, with Jacqui at her side as her right-hand man. Everyone has their guns lock and loaded, and a contingency plan had been formed prior to their arrival should anything go wrong.

She catches a glimpse of 3 figures in the distance, and she can only guess who they are: Kotal Kahn, Kitana and Jade. They had rolled out the red carpet treatment, coming to greet the delegation themselves. The air surrounding the Force tenses in anticipation as they near the Kahns—Everyone’s standing a little straighter, and the grip on their guns tighten ever so slightly.

“Welcome to Outworld, fellow Earthrealmers,” His welcome had been loud and clear, “We hope that you enjoy whatever Outworld has to offer, and do not worry, we have prepared food and accommodation for your stay here.”

The Imperial Army had descended upon the Special Forces, (and to their relief) started helping them with their equipment and luggage. Immediately, everyone was up in arms, trying to work and sort through all the different boxes and luggage, making sure they don’t accidentally end up in the trash or some other unsavory place. She’s never went dumpster diving in Earthrealm, and she’s not going to start the habit in Outworld.

The Imperial Guard guided her through the Palace halls, and like any person with new experiences, she observed her surroundings; _Talltalltall_ ceilings overshadowing _longlonglong_ hallways, the pillars stand strong with their embellishments of royal red and gold, and there are windows interspersed to grant the Palace inhabitant a splendid view of the City from above. All in all, this Palace is bigger than any castle she’s seen back home.

The infirmary is nothing out of the ordinary – Cabinets filled with medical equipment and solutions, the beds are adjacent to the wall and there are people filing in out and out of the room. Her office is neat and tidy—Tables, bookshelves, and other assorted furniture had already been moved in for her comfort. I could get used to this, she mused to herself. Her office back home wasn’t this big nor spacious. It wasn’t cramped either, but one could always upgrade to bigger spaces once in a while.

There is a garden outside of her office, and its splendor can be admired from the infirmary. The spread of green stretches as far as the eye can see, yet there are fragments of oranges, reds and white that makes the garden all the more surreal. She spots the row of unknown plants in one corner of the garden, and wonders if there are herbs planted here for easy access. Maybe, she’ll ask some of the other doctors for help.

“Miss Vanessa,” The guard brings her out from her daydream, and speak of the devil, “I would like to introduce to you the Palace Doctors. They will be here to assist you should you need it.”

“Thank you, but I think I would be needing their help more than they mine.”

“Don’t be so modest, Miss Vanessa. We could all stand to learn from each other,” One of the Doctors joked, and before she knew it, she was being huddled by all these strangers. She was relieved to be welcomed so warmly, the fear of being an outcast had been an idle thought playing in the back of her head for the past few days.

The routine in the infirmary had been simple; 2 off-days, make sure that the medicine cabinet is always stocked, all rounds must be completed on schedule, paperwork must be filed, and other things she was already doing back at Earthrealm. She is reassured by the fact, that there is something that she is used to doing and it makes adjusting to life on Outworld a little easier.

Clack!

The sound of heavy footsteps against the marble floor had everyone’s breath held, there had been some sort of frenzy; Some frantic urgency that had caused them to file out of the room like a deer out of headlights. She was… confused? Confounded? What? She had walked to the doorway to find the reason for the commotion, and true enough, there had been a man at the center of it all.

Deadly—Had been the first word that came to mind. Gore and glory seem to go hand-in-hand because he shows up bloodied and slightly haggard (with mud trailing behind him, to her annoyance), yet his mere presence is enough to command everyone’s respect, is enough to have people whisper in awe and alarm at the sight of him.  
He is tall—He towers over some of doctors crowding him, and even she can see that his physique is packing serious amount of muscle under all that clothing. He is dark – The tufts of brown can be seen in his sideburns, and he has a slight tan from all his days of yeehaw-ing around. Is he handsome? Hard to tell considering he has the bottom half of his face obscured with a mask.

He looks at her, and it makes her stand a little straighter. His eyes are intense, and it scares her how deeply he’s staring into her, but she still can’t look away-- Something in her tells her, forces her to hold his gaze. It feels like forever since they’ve been staring at each other, but finally, something in his eyes change, and he nods off subtly to her. Whether it is a sign of respect or acknowledgement, she doesn’t know.

But she breaks their staring contest, turns around and shuts the door behind her.


	2. Fancy Meetin' Ya

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm posting really fast. But you've just gotta let the creative juices flow before I experience untimely burn-out that makes it harder to write. On the side-note, I really love Ada Wong's design, I think there's something just so mysterious and pretty about her design. So, imagine Vanessa as Ada. 
> 
> Why Vanessa? Well, I only liked Vanessa because you could shorten it to Van. I also considered Vesper, and Diana, which I think are suitable names. 
> 
> Also, can you tell I'm a fan of longing glances and slow burn? Yeah, I eat that shit up. I'm a sucker for fics of these cliches, and I always wanna die. But anyway, do tell me what you think of this chapter, whether I'm going too fast, too slow, whether i'm writing too much or too little. If you have any headcanons or scenarios, tell me now or forever hold your peace. Or do I forever hold my peace? I don't know man.
> 
> (3185 words)

The flurry of sand and desert heat hadn’t been too kind on him, but when has Outworld weather been known for Southern hospitality? Nevertheless, he counts his lucky stars that he’s finally back, because the last mission has his bones ragged. The last mission hadn’t been hard, just tiresome; One of Kotal’s ‘trusted’ partner had been selling Imperial secrets behind his back, and who better but Erron Black to chase the bugger down?

Only this partner was highly elusive—Sending him high and low, left and right, and running all around to catch a whiff of the man. He had roamed from city to city, from village to village, and his target manages to sneak away at the last moment each time. The whole cat-and-mouse chase is enough to drive any man insane, but the cowboy isn’t deterred by the challenge so arrogantly posed. In fact, he waits, bides his time on the down-low patiently for any misstep by his target.

Although, a word from the wise is overdue; One must never let their guard down during a chase, especially when the predator had been the masked marauder himself.

Yet all it takes is one afternoon for the man to forget, wondering through busy markets without a care in the world, while Erron patiently stakes out in a room of one of the buildings nearby with his rifle aimed surreptitiously at the man’s head. The reminder had been fatal; All it takes is one shot, and the man falls without a sound.

The chaos that ensues after makes up for the silence in the man’s death. Everyone gathers around the corpse, and screams at the horror of the whole situation. He feels no need to wait around and collect the man’s body; The news of that man’s death will travel around, and that is proof enough that he had been successful in his headhunting. Nature had given everyone something to fall back on, and sooner or later, someone’s gotta fall on it.

And this time, it was that man’s turn to fall.

And it was his time to tap out for the night, had enough of all these games of cat-and-mouse. Gotta rest the old bones before conquering the days ahead.

Imagine his surprise when he got back to the Palace, to see the place filled to the brim with Special Forces units. He sees the Kahn having a conversation with the Commander, and saunters towards them, ignoring the hushed whispers on the sidelines.

“Hola, Miss Cassie Cage.”

“Erron, how awful it is to see you.”

“I assure you Darlin’, the feelings mutual,” He shoots back, “What brings you over to our humble abode?”

It is Kotal that cuts through their ‘cordial’ banter, “I have invited Special Forces here to help strengthen our ties with Earthrealm. Kitana and Jade will take care of their day-to-day needs, you will overlook their sparring sessions.”

Erron glares at the Kahn, but he lets it slide – The Kahn always compensates for his time _generously. _It is what keeps him loyal, and motivates him to undertake all sorts of janky missions for the sovereign. There is never a dull time serving Kotal, and he appreciates the unpredictability in his missions. It keeps him preoccupied, and least of all, keeps him entertained.

He excuses himself and leaves the Kahn and Commander to their affairs. Besides, he has an errand to attend to; A drop-off of rare medicinal herbs for the doctors at the Infirmary. All of them had requested for this specific breed of Spider Lilly, said it was good for re-energizing the tired soul. He could care less about the methods used in re-creating that effect, what mattered was the results.

He doesn’t bother with knocking when he enters the Infirmary. They know it’s him by the sound of his footsteps and they scramble to surround him like moths to a flame. He hands over the flower, and they thank him profusely. Appreciation and gratitude are good for the soul, but when a man’s tired, nothing sounded more tempting than a sip of whiskey and a comfortable bed to sleep on.

He looks up and catches sight of a woman leaning against the doorway of the unused office. Short raven hair, equally dark eyes, and she stands hardly the height of Sonya nor Cassie Cage (at least, from this distance), but looks strong enough to easily throw a man over her shoulder should he look at her the wrong way – Fitting, for a person working in the Special Forces.

It doesn’t hurt that she’s easy on the eyes as well. So, he tips his hat off to her, _Howdy_ unspoken in his greeting towards her. He knows she can’t miss it, because he catches her in the act of sizing him up as well. Yet, she seemed confused, and a little curious? Nevertheless, she seemed to return the gesture with a small nod of her own before closing the door to retreat into the room.

“Who is she?”

_She is one of the Doctors from Special Forces, _one of them had replied. She had been part of the Special Forces Delegation, and assigned to the medical unit in the Palace infirmary. She came to learn and bring back Outworlds treatments and cures back to Earthrealm. A question pops into his head-- Aren’t Earthrealm’s medical practice vastly different from Outworld? In Outworld, doctors use high-level magicks to heal wounds of all variety—Burns, grazes, you name it. Given the supernatural nature of Outworlds modern medicine, he highly doubts she can learn anything from these doctors who uses spells instead of science.

(Then again, the only thing he knows of medicinal remedies is when his own Pa spat whiskey into his wounds, and damn, the pain had been one sonuvabitch to swallow)

* * *

“The Valerian root helps patients deal with their anxiety, a form of sedative, one might say. But taken in large and uncontrolled amounts, only backfires and induces insomnia.”

“What about this?”

“The Goldenseal root is used as an antiseptic. Again, if consumed in large amounts, is highly poisonous and will only further irritate the eye and skin.”

“And this?”

“The Echinacea leaf is commonly used to prevent flus or colds, but long-term use could disturb the body’s immune system.”

“Basically, too much of anything is a bad thing.”

* * *

Making medicine with the herbs and plants found in Outworld is challenging. The art of making medicine in Outworld, she finds, is similar to chemistry – If she places too little of one herb, the supposed effects don’t flourish and are made redundant because it is overpowered by the potency of other herbs. Yet, if carelessness had been her approach, she could easily induce unknown side-effects, or worse, actually kill a person. Thus, the delicate balance of underwhelming and catastrophic are outcomes she monitors like a hawk.

She enjoys this side of her work nonetheless. It allows her to better understand the more traditional aspects of her work, and expand on more creative options should modern medicine fail in being readily available.

However, the paperwork, and regular inventory checks are cumbersome all the same. Her rationale is that sometimes, you’ve just got to sit through the unsavory parts of the job so that you can reap its benefits. That doesn’t mean she can’t silently complain about how uneventful some days, or how stagnant her progress in learning can be. It’s become a point of contention, and it’s only been 2 weeks since her first day in Outworld. Her hands are itching for something new to work on.

Bored eyes cast sweeping glances over the city, and of course, she catches a glimpse of the cowboy himself. _Ah, _today is the training session between Outworld and Special Forces’ Soldiers. He is relaxed; There is a slight slouch in his posture, and he didn’t seem too interested in the body-tossing action happening right before him. She can tell, that he is still hypervigilant – His arms are at his side, and are steadily poised beside the holsters on his pants. All it takes is one motion to swipe his pistol up, and _BANG!_

And as much as she hates to admit it, her thoughts do float around the masked man she had met, no, seen. She hadn’t talked to him, nor has she passed him by in the past 2 weeks. She had asked her colleagues about the man, and the responses she had gotten were strangely varied – ‘He’s the Kahn’s main headhunter’, ‘A man who knows how to drink any man under the table’, and ‘Save a horse, ride a cowboy’. The last phrase had been told, but felt unneeded. Any person’s business under the sheets, is nothing she wants to know about. Least of all, _his _business.

_But you are curious, _a small voice whispers in the back of her mind, _He is the leading man shrouded in mystery and danger. _

She reprimanded herself; There are other things to be curious about.

* * *

The whole day has been a bore, and its starting to make his hands itch and fret restlessly. Apparently, today’s training session had been requested by Miss Cage, _what better way there is to strengthen the bonds of friendship than participating in friendly kombat? _He could just shut one eye, and believe her desire for camaraderie between soldiers of two realms, but he can see through her bullshit as clear as day, and it makes him raise a wary brow at the Commander.

The logic behind her unspoken reason had been sound – It is best to fight as many types of kombatants as you can, provided that one chooses their opponents well. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can get the theory down easy. But if you don’t have the practice, the real hand-to-hand experience, one can only expect to have their asses handed to them over and over again. Face-to-face Kombat allows fighters to exercise their real-time reactions, gives them the chance to better their reflexes and recognize the precise moment to either move forward and attack, or retract and defend.

So, today is a masterclass in Outworld Kombat for the Special Forces. However, the session is but a double-edged sword. Just as the Special Forces had come to learn and observe, the army had come prepared to do the same.

His eyes search for any telltale of black within the sea of browns and blondes, and is only greeted by her absence in return. He wants to make her acquaintance, and knows that she is a doctor for the Special Forces. That doesn’t give him the right to be waltzing into her office without any sort of official business. It would only invite talks of rumors and gossip to fly around, and he would be doing them both a favor by abstaining from such behavior.

So, what’s a man to do to earn his trip to the doctor’s office without seeming like such an ass?

He looks at Miss Cage, _unless,_ the stirrings of a brilliant idea come to mind.

* * *

“Yo, Clint Eastwood! You too chicken to step into the Kumite zone with me?”

“Put your money where that mouth is, darlin’.”

* * *

So maybe he had been a little harsh, but Cassie had no qualms with dishing out her own brand of revenge – One rapid, well-timed kick to the core followed by a solid punch to his face. A just reward for insulting a beloved father. Outworld Soldiers are surprised by his lack of vigor in the fight, but none of Special Forces are surprised that Cassie is fierce in defending her family’s honor.

His face might hurt, and his pride a little wounded, but the fight had yielded results. He is sent to the Infirmary to await doctor’s treatment.

He waits because she is out for the moment, so he takes the chance to look around the room. There is nothing out of the ordinary; There is a couch placed near the door to welcome guests (or, patients), the books are shelved back-to-back against each other, and labelled for trouble-free browsing. He finds that most of the books are medical in nature, save for a select few in herbology and astronomy. _A doctor must have her hobbies, _he digresses. Everything on the desk is neatly arranged with each item assigned their designated corners; stationeries in one corner and a stack of papers in the other.

He picks up the top most paper on the pile, and lets his eyes roam over the elegant handwriting. He thinks she could easily be an artist because the sketches of various flowers and herbs are so lifelike, they mimic the figure of their real-life counterpart. There are arrows pointing to formulas and possible side-effects everywhere, and although her workspace maybe organized, her notes are just a jumbled mess.

But he admires her tenacity in the research because her notes are an impressive study in Outworld’s green.

_Clack!_

He turns around, and speak of the devil; She is there in the flesh, and a lot taller than he remembers.

“I’m sorry for the wait. My name is Vanessa, and I will be attending to you this evening.”

She ushers him to the seat beside her table, and begins her task; She listens to his heartbeat, flashes a light into his eyes, and asks him the routine, “Where do you feel pain?” and “Does your family have a history of serious diseases?”. He answers honestly and concisely – _It’s just my face, _and, _I reckon not. _She faithfully jots down whatever he says down into a piece of paper, and reaches for something in one of the drawers.

“First off,” She starts, and he sees a medical kit being placed on the table, “I can save you the trouble and stitch your wound now, but you’re also free to leave if you don’t want my medical attention, because in my understanding, Outworld has different and better ways to treat you. So, what will it be?”

_Straight to business. _“Have on, Miss Vanessa.”

She moves silently and deftly—She is quick at work to prepare all of the equipment, and arranges them in immaculate order on the tray in front of her. She disinfects the problem area, before filling the syringe with a clear liquid from one of the labeled bottles, and once he nods her assent, injects the anesthesia to help numb the pain during the stitching process.

Her gloved hands move nimbly, suture in one hand and the needle holder in the other, the constant loop of entry and exit is executed with practiced ease. Her hands don’t tremble, nor do they hesitate in fear of misstep. She is sure and confident with each push-and-pull, and it assures him that she is not without skill.

He takes the time now, to take a proper and closer look at her. Her short hair accentuates the high cheekbones and angular sharpness of her facial features and her eyes are a darkened grey; a reminder of misty mornings, and ominous fog. Her skin is glass-like, clear, no visible scar or blemish in sight. He spots the light dusting of freckles on tanned skin, no doubt, a result from the sun and heat of Outworld. She is what a cat would look like if they were human, a thought he keeps safely to himself.

He will admit, she is a pretty little thing. Even so, the minute slouch in her posture, the mistiness and redness in her eyes, and the prominent dark circles under them is very telling. Underneath all that loveliness, is a woman exhausted. Whether it is the research or the field work that has her running on low fuel, he reckons that she could do with a few more hours of sleep.

She starts talking, her voice a soothing cadence to distract from the obvious monotone in the environment, “How did you get these wounds?”

“A souvenir from the past assignment, a man had gotten close enough to graze me with his knife, but not smart enough to actually kill me.”

“And why does your face hurt?”

“That’s a souvenir from your Commander,” He catches the question in her eyes, and the amused tilt of her lips, “That clown and his ten-gallon mouth deserved all the insults.”

“You really are a glutton for punishment,” She chuckles, sealing the stitch shut.

She gives him the standard doctor’s order – Rest and no sudden movements, or else he would risk exposing himself to an infection due to his torn stitches. He’s heard it all, from day one until day now, but he is thankful that she keeps it short and sweet.

“Do you sleep well, Mr. Black?” She interrupts him leaving, pulls out a bottle for him to see. “You can take it, it’s free.”

“Well, look who we have here, a doctor playing crafty salesman on a hot Sunday afternoon. Nothing in this world comes for free, so what’s the catch?”

She raises her arms in mock defeat, her expression is full of mirth, and a playful smile reaches her eyes, “Okay, it’s not FDA approved yet, but I know for a fact that it works. Cassie uses it, Jacqui uses it, and a few hundred others can also attest to its success.”

He raises a curious brow at her, a sign for her to continue her sales pitch. No matter how much she tries to hide it, he can tell that she is proud of her creation, because her voice is full of pride, “It helps eases tenseness, and makes sleep easier, but unlike other soporific drugs, it doesn’t bring about excessive drowsiness, so you’re still able to react appropriately to any possible threats.”

Soporific, what a five-dollar word.

But he has something else in mind, because he leans in and places both arms rigidly on the arms of her chair, effectively trapping and confining her in the tight space between his arms. He leans towards her, and stops when the gap between them is nose-to-nose. He admits that he is shameless and forward in his flirting, but he wants to see how she would respond-- would she retreat further into her seat, or would she lean forward, would she bridge the gap between them?

So, she responds, neither further nor retreating. She stays still in her position; Her hands are firmly placed in her lap, while her grey eyes are staring straight back at him, her gaze sharpening into that of gentle steel.

“Hey Van, I was wondering if you had- Oh.”

Both of them immediately turn their heads towards Jacqui, the deer in headlights. Jacqui is full of apologies, because she is standing there, stumbling over her words, and says sorry over and over again for disturbing whatever doctor-patient examination they were having, and speeds out of the room faster than the pace she came in. Jacqui’s interruption breaks whatever tension, anticipation and apprehension swimming in the room, and it calms and cools the heat between them.

The Cowboy finally stands straight, his smirk hidden behind his mask and makes his way for the door.

“I’ll see you around, Miss Vanessa.”


	3. Is it really worth it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I debated about posting this until I wrote Chapter 4 so that I could just post 2 chapters at once, because this chapter is just fluff to advance the plot. But I promised myself I would stay consistent in trying to post weekly. This time, I was more relaxed in writing this, and I don’t know if it shows. Anyway, I hope you reading this and if you have any Mortal Kombat fanfics to recommend, please do.

The nights in Outworld are no different from Earthrealm; The night sky is just as pitch black, and stretches as far as her eyes can see, the sounds of the nightlife; the music and laughter are a pleasant blur in the distance. But what amazes her are the stars – They are abundant in their numbers, and shine just as brightly. Her pace slows down into a leisurely lilt, her steps are light against the earthy pavement, and her head is up high to gaze at the stars.

Even when the days are long, and seem like they have no end, even when there is no semblance of certainty in her life, seeing the stars always makes her dream.

“You’re late,” a stern voice greets her from the backyard, less than impressed.

“I know, I know. I got caught up with work, and lost track of time, won’t happen again,” She apologizes earnestly, but she can already tell that Cassie and Jacqui are rolling their eyes at her. Both of them know that it won’t be her last rodeo in tardiness, Vanessa’s dedication to her work is boundless and she pursues it with great zeal and enthusiasm. She is one of the best medics in her field, but as a timekeeper, she is as useless as a fish is to the sky.

Vanessa plops herself in the seat beside Cassie’s with a tired huff, expecting a midnight snack of Hot Chocolate and biscuits. Oddly enough, she is greeted by the sight Grilled Beef, Pasta, Pizza accompanied by sides of Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread. She looks over at Cassie and Jacqui confused—Were they having someone over tonight?

“Is there a special occasion that I forgot about?” She had nervously inquired, eyes darting over from Cassie to Jacqui repeatedly. Both of them look at each other expectedly, but neither of them wanted to give her an answer. There’s something fishy in the air; What were they hiding, and why?

Darkness swarms her vision, the feeling of warm hands rest on her eyes. _Oh Lord, I’ve gone blind,_ is the first thought that came to mind, but the warmth felt familiar, and almost recognizable, that it brings a knowing smile to her face.

“Takeda! You’re here!” She jumps and engulfs him in a tight hug, “When did you reach Outworld?”

“I’ve been here since like, 2 hours ago. I personally wanted to see you earlier, but uh, I got occupied,” He ends his sentence with an awkward pause, and everyone is made painfully aware of the implied distraction. Everyone sighs in exasperation at the lovers’ antics, before taking their seats at the table. The night begins with the passing of plates, and the taking of food; Cassie and Jacqui already have their hands on the pizza, Takeda slices a few thin layers of grilled beef for himself, and Kenshi is carefully forking the pasta onto his plate.

Takeda starts the conversation, “So, what have you been up to, Van? I didn’t get to see you before you left.”

“Are you sure you weren’t ‘occupied’ with other things?” She teases light-heartedly, earning a _graceful _choke from Jacqui, “Before I left, I was training the new recruits. Now, I’m just nose-deep in my research.”

“What are you researching on this time?” Cassie asks, fishing another slice of pizza for herself.

“The herbs and flowers of Outworld, mostly their medicinal properties. I feel like I’m slowly turning into a witch from a Disney movie, _a little eye of newt here, and a virgin’s tear there, _and poof! The stuff blows up in my face, and I’m left black, blue or purple.”

“But doesn’t the Palace have a library and a book with that information? It would save you the time, and embarrassment.”

“I’ve got a few, but they’re at least centuries old, and as far as old wives tales go, they’re pretty outdated. So, I decided to update it myself.”

“You sure that’s the only thing you’ve been doing?” Jacqui slides in slyly, the suggestive undertones aren’t missed by anyone, because all of their heads are turning, directing their full attention towards her. Vanessa feels her face heat up under the scrutiny, as she **tries **to nonchalantly fork noodles into her mouth so that she wouldn’t have to speak but Cassie is having none of it, because the blonde is jabbing her sides persistently.

“Come on, Van. Who is it this time? Is it one of the doctors? Or, is it one of the guards at the gate? He’s pretty cute too.”

“Actually, it’s the Big Bad Wolf himself, Erron Black.”

Cassie scoffs, the snark comes in full blast, “Really? Him? You can’t be serious, Van! YOU! CAN! DO! BET-TER!”

“It’s nothing like that, Cass, _Jacqui,” _She punctuates, shooting a pointed look towards her smug friend, “I was just stitching him up, nothing more, nothing less.”

“Yeah, yeah. I saw what went down. Both of you were making bedroom eyes at each other, bet if I didn’t walk in, y’all would’ve made out,” Jacqui sings and jumps on Takeda’s lap, making faces and loud, exaggerated kissing noises to emphasize her point.

“What is he like?” This time, Kenshi enters the conversation as a way to distract from the couple’s obvious PDA.

“He is… Intense,” She answers honestly, the afternoon’s stunt refreshes itself in her head without permission.

The way he had caged her in between him and her chair, leaning forward so she had nowhere else to look at, but **him. **She would’ve been lying if she said that she didn’t feel something; The electric tension had upset the calm in her room, the expectation and anticipation of sinful acts escalating between them left her heart aflutter, the small voice of indecision whispering in the back of her head. She was almost certain that he would’ve leaned in, so she could’ve justified kicking him in the nuts.

But he didn’t – He waited. At the time, she thought that he had been messing around with her for shits and giggles. However, in retrospect, she realized that he was leaving the choice in her hands. Whatever his reasons were, are unknown to her and she could hardly bring up the energy to care.

Although, what did he think of her, when she decided not to do anything?

_“Every time, we touch, I get this feeling-“_

“CAN IT, JACQUI!” Vanessa howls as she shoves garlic bread aggressively into the black girl’s mouth, effectively shutting her up and making everyone around the table laugh at Jacqui’s muffled yelps.

* * *

“I have a small request to ask of Special Forces.”

That morning had startled Cassie -- The coffee in Outworld is _really _strong. However, seeing Jade wait in her office accompanied by the silent gunslinger, it what surprises her the most. The tall Osh-tekk nor the warrior princess are anywhere in sight, (and despite their scuffle two weeks before) Cassie begrudgingly acknowledges Erron’s presence under the guise of professionalism.

“There has been another outbreak in one of the nearby villages. Kotal and Kitana are already there, but I want your medic to help with their investigation and nurse the villagers back to health.”

“What happened to your doctors?”

Jade huffs, slightly miffed, “They have tried, but they were unsuccessful. Kotal suspects that there might be elements of foul-play, Kitana and I think it’s just his nerves. Whatever it is, we need you to be down there.”

The commander is silent, her eyes downcast in pensive thought. Kotal already has Special Forces under high alert – There had been two teams designated for search and patrol, with both teams rotating between night and day. The day squad has just been dispatched, while the night squad had just returned for the day. It would be possible to send a team for the excursion, since Jade has asked help for that afternoon alone. On the other hand, everyone’s worn out, and even soldiers cannot run on willpower alone.

If she sent a team out now, and something untoward were to happen, all of them wouldn’t stand a chance.

“I can send out a team, on two conditions.”

“Name it.”

“One, give my soldiers 3 hours of rest before sending them out there. Two, convince Kotal to reduce the amount of patrols he wants to send out.”

“Deal. I will talk to Kotal about relaxing the patrols for a while,” Jade agrees before excusing herself out of the Commander’s office with the Cowboy trailing after her.

“You’ll be joining Special Forces today as well, Erron. Have everyone ready in 3 hours.”

“Is there really a point to this?” Erron asks, and Jade catches the irritation and slight frustration in his voice.

“I assure you, the Special Forces are-“

“I’m talking about the whole damn fiasco, Jade. It’s a waste of time.”

He tells her frankly. Sure, Kotal wants to _maintain the peace _between the realms and reaching out to the Special Forces had been the first step. But, Outworld is self-sufficient; All of them were natural survivors, born and bred. It has always been their way of life, and no amount of cozying up to other realms will change that because at the end of the day, it’s every man for himself. Self-interest outweighs the need for balance and prosperity almost all the time, and he’s willing to bet that the Special Forces wouldn’t hesitate to stab them in the back if there was an opportunity to.

So yes, to further emphasize his point, it’s bullshit. No amount of money or gold, will ever change his mind.

Jade doesn’t rebuff him nor does she fully agree with his confession, and her reply is anything but neutral, “Kotal and Kitana don’t share your skepticism, but I understand the concern. However, if Kotal demands it, do we really have the choice to say no?”

* * *

_Knock Knock_

“Miss Vanessa?” He calls out to her, and enters her room. Normally, his Southern manners would prevent him from entering without consent, but Missy Elliot over here is 10 minutes behind for the designated assembly call-time, and if he didn’t call her out now, her tardiness would delay their departure.

Instead of a panicked, wide-awake doctor, he is greeted by the sight of her sleeping form, and her expression makes him chuckle to himself. The furrowed brows, the downturned lips and the tensed jaw – Whatever she’s cooking up in her dreams, she looks ready to pick a fight with anyone in her sleep. He takes a seat on the chair beside her table, and picks up one of the sheets of paper to read, curious to know what’s been her cup of tea lately.

(And maybe, he would let her sleep for another five minutes.)


	4. From Strangers, to Friends?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late post! I was busy over the weekend. But I have to announce a short hiatus, alas, I have assignments to focus on. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!

The Special Forces and Outworld army are gathered at the courtyard at the allotted time, making sure every soldier was present before heading out. When the headcount began, Cassie and Jacqui noticed two people were missing: Vanessa and Erron. Just as Cassie and Jacqui were starting to worry about Vanessa’s absence, she arrives rather haphazardly; Her hair is curled in all sorts of directions and lacking its usual orderly manner, and she is panting hard, almost as if she came running from wherever she was from.

Yet, when the Cowboy arrives after her, there is no sense of urgency in his gait. He strolls in rather casually, and he doesn’t look any bit of tired that Vanessa is. Both Jacqui and Cassie glance at each other, a secret smile is shared between them.

“Shall we get a move-on, Miss Cage, Miss Briggs?” He calls out to them, wasting no time. “I suggest you start wearing masks now, there’s a sandstorm brewing.”

All of them heed Erron’s advice and fall into formation, departing from the Palace grounds. Cassie leads the front, Jacqui and Takeda flank the sides, while Erron is guarding the back. The soldiers march in unison into the desert, and true to Erron’s word, there were tell-tales of a sandstorm waiting to happen; The line of sight was starting to blur as time went by, the growls of wild animals were becoming fierce, and sand began to weigh heavily on their equipment, making mobility harder than it should be.

Cassie hears gunshots from behind—And it is without a doubt, from Erron. She hears rapid fire come from her left, and the sound of a whip cracking from her right—Jacqui and Takeda. Shit, they’re getting attacked. If they don’t find that village soon, they’ll be at a disadvantage out in the storm.

In the horizon, she sees a shadow, makes out a silhouette of large and odd shapes. That must be the village!

But first things first, there are more important things to handle; There are beasts in front of her. While she can’t fully gage the size and distance of this beast, she remembers a tip from Erron: _Use this, they can’t resist the smell of this. _She pulls out a candle-shaped object from her pouch, and lights the wick. She whistles lowly, waving the object to and fro, catching the beasts’ attention.

“You want it? Then go get it!” She yells before throwing it away, and watches as the large crowd of beasts chase the object. She loads and fires a flare up to the sky— _Hurry! _Everyone starts running, not wasting another second to the storm.

Finally, they reach the village. All of them had let out a huge breath of relief, even Cassie, who was starting to think that she was hallucinating from the sandstorm when they arrived the village later, rather than sooner. Nonetheless, they’ve reached their destination, and after a headcount, found that there were no casualties.

As the Force marched into the village, there was hardly any noise yet, they could feel a thousand eyes closely watching their every move. Any child that was playing outside scattered and hid in their houses as soon as they saw them, leaving behind any toy or ball they were playing with. Some of the adults were peeping at them by their windows, while others have their weapons out in the open, the hostility is clear in their battle-ready stance.

The tension is heavy in the air, a razor-like tautness that keeps everyone on edge. It is not the time for brashness, but for careful consideration.

Cassie is stopped by an Old Lady, and while she appreciates that the Lady is speaking to her, she can’t help but not understand a word of it.

“Miss Cage, let me handle this,” Erron intercepts, and continues the conversation, to which she is grateful for. Both of them speak in a dialect unknown to her, and in low, hushed tones.

“Miss Cage, this the Chief of the village,” He introduces Cassie to the Lady, “She says Kotal has told them about us, and that they’ve prepared an area for the medical tent. They’ve also prepared our accommodation and dinner for tonight, a token of appreciation for coming.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, we really appreciate it We’ll try our best to help you,” Cassie reassures the Chief, before motioning all of them to follow her. Step 1 of the journey done, now comes the more tedious part of the assignment.

* * *

“Mr. Black, please hand me the bandages.”

As per the plan, one team would go and round the civilians in need of medical treatment, and another team would guard the tent from any unwanted ruffians. The medical team, is of course, assigned to treat and take any samples should they see fit.

At first, the response had been slow. Timid strangers would come in, feet shaking and drenched in sweat, clamoring and stuttering whenever the doctors asked a question. One of them was so nervous, they tried to opt out midway, and it took a lot of cooing (and handholding) to convince the poor sod to actually finish the procedure. Hey, at least he managed to finish it, to Vanessa’s exasperated delight.

Once the timid few had come and left satisfactorily, slowly, more and more people came to the tent, which eventually turned into a flood of people. The old people, the youth, and the kids start pouring in, and all of them are more than eager to get rid of their illnesses. All of them are cooperative when asked, _do you feel any pain? Does your breathing feel constricted? Are you bleeding anywhere?_

Some of them are talkative even, and luckily, Vanessa has Erron beside her to translate every word and every story they have for her. Although, she feels that at times, Erron gives her an abridged version of the conversation— She catches he suggestive glances by the older ladies. When she asks him about it, he brushes her off; _You don’t need to know, Miss Vanessa. _

Erron, on the other hand, knows the full conversation. The ladies are eager matchmakers (or, nosy ones) because they inquire into the nature of his relationship with Miss Vanessa, and suggests snatching her up before anyone else does. He politely tells them that their relationship is strictly professional, but he wouldn’t oppose to one should Vanessa initiate. The ladies laugh and reach out for Vanessa, and tells her, _then you better make the first move, love! _

Vanessa merely laughs and continues with her work, the notion flies over her head.

The kids, they all love her. He can see their fondness for her because they flock to her like sheep to water. They tell him that Vanessa has a pretty smile, and she treats them way better than the other doctors do. At one point, he even catches one of the boys fidgeting and blushing during her treatment. He must have a crush on her. The boy even gives her a hug, which she returns despite her hand awkwardly hovering over the boy’s shoulder before reciprocating.

“He has a crush on you, Miss Vanessa.”

“He’ll outgrow it.”

He watches her steadily treat person after person, patient after patient. Her pace is constant, never too fast that she burns out too quickly, nor too slow that there are people left waiting. She is meticulous in her handiwork-- Every flick of the wrist is careful and every appraisal is thorough. Whatever she does, she does with purpose and efficiency.

And although she is always generous with her smile with her patients, her smile falters when this kid rolls through. There is no small talk, none of the fluff that she had entertained the others with. Her voice holds none of the gentleness of her previous demeanor, but of deep sobriety.

Erron hears the whispers of the other patients beside them, that her treatment towards the boy was rude and downright callous. However, Erron knows better. This time, her examination takes longer—Her pace has been disturbed, her hands often fidget and hover around the equipment, as if unsure about which one of the utensils to choose. This time, her conduct has lost all of its grace and composure, but in its place, he recognizes an overflow of empathy.

Her hands are slow and careful in unwrapping the cloth from the boy’s hand. She is quiet in her inspection and when she deduces that it is nothing more than a flesh wound, she dabs the antiseptic on the boy’s hand with the utmost care, like she is afraid of hurting the boy. While wrapping the gauze and clean bandage around the boy’s wound, a strange request had come out from her mouth.

“Ask him if he’s doing well at home.”

He abides by her request, “He’s doing well. Just that he fell and managed to gash himself.”

Vanessa doesn’t look entirely convinced, but dismisses the boy all the same. Her eyes follow the boy and even after he leaves the tent, they never waver from his direction. Erron can’t recognize the emotions fueling her silent, brooding gaze. It’s almost like she’s reminiscing the past, yet feeling its reality.

That’s when he decides, it’s time for a break.

* * *

“Have a cup, Miss Vanessa,” Erron offers, which Vanessa takes gratefully. The cup of coffee is particularly strong, an equivalent of almost 9 shots of espresso back home, but she needs the bitterness to slap her awake and give her the boost of energy she needs to survive the rest of the day. Three hours of sleep is enough to keep her active for 1 hour, and leave her drained for the rest of her waking hours, which is usually another 2 hours.

“Are you concerned about me, Mr. Black?”

“Wouldn’t want anyone dying in our tent. After all, we are dealing with delicate state affairs.”

When they hear the sound of rough flapping, both of them shift their attention to the rude entrance of a man with fur trimming the collar of his long, overhaul jacket. Vanessa’s dislike for the man is immediate, because who does he think he is, charging in like he’s the boss of everyone and bringing in mud into the tent? What bills is he paying around here to be so goddamn arrogant?!

_Click!_

She hears the quiet cock of a revolver, and watches as Erron has his sights lock and loaded for the man. All logic flies through the roof, hijacked by instinctual protectiveness, because she blocks Erron’s view by stepping in front of his gun.

“Mr. Black, what **are** you doing?”

“Move aside, Miss Vanessa. This man is not who you think he is.”

“Is this really how you treat a lady, much less an old friend, Erron?” The man’s voice booms behind her, before stepping right in front of her. “Besides, you can relax. I’m not here under any official Black Dragon business.”

Old friend, huh? Erron doesn’t seem to share the sentiment. Although the revolver in his hand has been lowered, his stance is still in the offensive, and the seething anger is simmering in his glare. She helps usher the man onto one of the empty seats, slipping into professional medic mode. Whatever bad blood has come between them, is none of her concern. She’s a field medic, not a marriage counsellor.

She casts a cursory glance over all visible limbs, and finds a few spikes protruding from his left arm and leg, “Where did you get these from?”

“I was fighting a few of the Kytinn, and they decided to give me a few souvenirs for crossing their borders.”

“Do you feel nauseous? Or, lightheaded?”

“Nope. As fit as a fiddle.”

She examines the skin around the wound, focusing on finding any visible signs of swelling or redness. “Do you feel sore?”

“Not at all, it just hurts,” He admits openly, and this information is enough for her to start treatment.

“Luckily for you, the wound hasn’t punctured anything vital nor is it infected. All I have to do is disinfect your wounds, and give you a shot.”

So, she begins her process – Extracting the spikes safely out of his arm and leg, and using a wet cloth, carefully wipes all the dirt and debris away from the wound in slow, languid strokes. The man is quiet, and content with watching her work. He knows it’s a fairly simple process, but hearing the kids talk excitedly about a cute doctor, who can resist the charm of having one’s wounds salved by a pretty lady?

(Although he would never admit it aloud, he also came to see a former comrade-in-arms.)

“So, what’ve you been up to, Erron?”

The man’s question is met by awkward silence. The masked gunman is reluctant to answer, and it is clear that he doesn’t want to fancy any of the man’s bullshit.

Yet, curiosity has killed a different cat, because Vanessa is the first to speak, “How do you know Mr. Black?”

“Glad you asked, sweet cheeks. Erron and I used to be partners, and we used to get into a whole lotta shit back then. By the way, I’m Kabal.”

“I’m Vanessa. Give me your arm please.”

“What about you, Van? How do you know Erron?”

She cocks an eyebrow towards Kabal, “I don’t think you know me well enough to be on first name basis with me. I know Mr. Black from work.”

Kabal places a hand over his heart dramatically, “You wound me, Van. Here I thought, we had a bond, a connection.”

“A bond? You’re alone in this one, pal. I’m just out here doing my job,” She shuts him down quick, and while she’s amused by Kabal’s animated gestures, hearing Erron’s low chuckle is what warms her heart.

* * *

Finally, the day comes to an end; The curtain draws at the end of a performance, and the lady at the opera has sung her last vibrato.

The sunset at Outworld is different, but is beautiful all the same. The sky is a wash of purples and pinks, with a hint of blue creeping in the distance. The kids are out and about, their laughter is loud and infectious as Jacqui, Cassie and Takeda joins them in their games. Even the Outworld Army and Special Forces are gathered around, and having drinks with each other. It makes her smile, this calm-- Makes her forget the weariness deep in her bones, and the exhaustion settling in her eyes.

Just as she was heading down to join her friends in their bout of fun, she spies in the corner of her eye, a lone man sitting on a lone hill, with his lonely lantern.

Should she disturb him?

-

“Mr. Black, here,” He hears a voice call out to him, and sees a mug being handed to him. He accepts the cup of koffee, and takes a swig of it, and is satisfied (and a little surprised) that Vanessa had brewed it just the way he liked it.

“Take it as my apology. After all, I dragged you around the whole day to help me. It’s the least I could do.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Vanessa.”

He reflects on the entirety of the day—Waking her up, surviving a sandstorm, deal with people, _meet Kabal. _The latter, is something he wished didn’t happen, because if anyone had to list Kabal’s talents; It would be in storytelling, because he held Vanessa’s attention with every word, and every pause, peppering in embellishments to make himself look good while dishing out a few jabs at him. There had been moments when Kabal had outright flirted with her, and remembering their whole conversation is enough to burst a vein, or two. One day, he’s going to get back at that Speedy Gonzalez, just you wait.

“What made you join the Black Dragon?” She starts their conversation.

“It was a long time ago, and I joined for the thrill of it. Being in the Black Dragon promised a certain amount of danger, and I had my fun.”

“Then why join Kotal?”

“Even cheap thrills lose their appeal, and my ass wants to get paid. So, I struck a deal with Kotal,” He remembers the night so vividly. Shao Kahn had set a hefty price for Kotal’s head, and he was the headhunter handpicked by the former Kahnum. But Kotal had struck a wise bargain—His loyalty, for twice the amount that Shao Kahn was paying his bounty for. It was a fair trade-off, and one he would make again, should the situation rise again.

“What brings you to Special Forces, Miss Vanessa?”

Her eyes are closed, but a small smile appears on her lips, “General Blade recruited me. She found me one fine day, looking like an angel, and said that Special Forces could use talent like mine.”

“Is that why you’re all buddied up with Miss Briggs and Miss Cage?”

“Yup. Just like how you’re all buddied up with Kabal, back in your Black Dragon days.”

Erron scoffs, “Kabal and I are merely partners. No more, no less.”

He feels a weight sag against his side, and turns, only to find that Vanessa is leaning against his shoulder. This time, there’s a lack of tension in her posture, there’s no furrowed brows, and her mouth hardly holds the lines of anger as he’s seen from her earlier nap. The day must have been rough on her, and considering that she’s been pretty super despite having only 3 hours of sleep, is enough for him to praise her perseverance.

“I hope one day, we could be friends, Mr. Black,” She sighs, a confession so innocent and dreamlike, fades into the evening glow, just as her consciousness does.

There’s not many he would consider friends, and he’s lived a long, _full _life. His relationship with Kotal is hardly friendly, and traditionally, an employer-employee type relationship. Jade and Kitana share this relationship with him by proxy of Kotal. Cassie and Jacqui, he could hardly say. He begrudgingly admits to himself, that Kabal -- despite his annoying attitude and constant references to Pop Culture that he isn’t aware of, is a friend.

(One day, he would like to be her friend too.)


End file.
